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Davey Scatino
David 'Davey' Scatino is the (former) owner of Ramsey Sports and Outdoors and a childhood friend of Tony Soprano and Artie Bucco. Davey has a compulsive gambling habit, which Tony uses for his profit. He later asks Tony to enter a high-stakes poker game for which he borrows and loses $45,000. Overview At some point in his life, David married his wife Christine. Her father owned Ramsey Sport & Outdoor, a sporting goods store, and he bequeathed it to Christine after his death. Because Christine's name is on the title, David cannot gamble it away or mortgage it, which had offered the Scatino family some financial security. In "The Happy Wanderer," Davey is first introduced with his son, Eric Scatino, as they search for colleges. In the same episode, Davey is participating in a poker game owned by Richie Aprile. Richie later visits Davey at his store to collect payment. Davey says that that is only a partial payment, to which an annoyed Richie says David is not to participate in any card game run by Richie Aprile until the debt is retired. Davey approaches Tony with the intent of playing a high-stakes poker game (known as "The Executive Game," with notable alumni such as Frank Sinatra Jr. in attendance). Tony reluctantly agrees. Davey quickly becomes heavily indebted to Tony, to the tune of $45,000. Later, Tony confronts Davey in his store about avoiding him. When Davey tries to use their friendship as leverage, Tony repeatedly assaults him. To give himself "breathing room" with Tony, Davey goes to his other childhood friend, Artie Bucco, and asks him for a $20,000 loan. Artie declines, claiming his restaurant needs roofing. Although that may have been the case, given Davey's history of fiscal irresponsibility, Artie likely figured his own chances of repayment were slim. As partial payment to Tony, Davey offers up his son's SUV. Tony accepts and presents the SUV to Meadow, who recognizes it and becomes furious, since she and Eric are friends. In "Bust Out," Richie and Tony become partners in Davey's business, Ramsey Sports and Outdoors. They begin racking up debt by purchasing merchandise to sell on the gray market. The proceeds from this are used to retire Davey's debts with them but ruin his own credit in the process. Davey becomes desperate to the point of becoming suicidal, and resorts to sleeping in a small tent set up in his store. During a late-night conversation, Tony explains to Davey he knew the store was one of his primary sources of income, and only let Davey in the game because he knew this store was available to bust out. He reminds Davey that the Executive Game was fair; Davey could just as easily have won a lot of money as lost it. When asked when the bust out will end, Tony curtly replies that it will end when Davey declares bankruptcy. In the end, Ramsey Sport & Outdoor is defunct due to a lien being placed on it. Men from a liquidation firm are seen seizing the store and placing a for sale on the building, but Tony declares the debt repaid. Davey's brother-in-law, Victor Musto, has had enough of Davey's irresponsibility and takes charge of the family, and orders Davey out of their lives. David does so by separating from Christine. When Meadow graduates high school in "Funhouse," Davey is seen by Tony at the ceremony helping himself to some coffee. Now that the debt is behind them and Richie is dead, Tony approaches Davey in a friendly manner. David says his son is going to Montclair State University, paid for by Victor Musto. Prior to his debt, Davey emptied a trust fund intended for Eric's college and gambled that away. He does not say that directly, but says to Tony that Montclair State is all they can afford due to money problems. Davey also says he is in the process of divorcing and moving to Nevada, where he got a job as a ranch hand. Tony snides of the proximity of Davey's new job to Las Vegas, where gambling is widespread, before the two part ways. Meadow later reveals in "The Telltale Moozadell" that Davey is now "in a mental health facility in Nevada." Behind the Scenes Robert Patrick was arguably best known for his role in ''Terminator 2, ''playing the villianous shapeshifting cyborg T-1000. He later claimed it was a change of pace playing a pathetic character like Davey Scatino, but producer David Chase felt he was appropriate for the role. To prepare for his role, Patrick attended a Gamblers Anonymous meeting. To reward some of the members for opening up about their problems, he took them out to dinner. In getting to know them, he was told many turned to gambling "as it made them feel powerful, like John Wayne or Sean Connery". Category:Characters